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Your regular Bundt Cake just got a bite better: This Buttery Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe is such an delicious dessert. It’s soaked in homemade lemon syrup for a fresh and bright flavor that’s so good! It’s a semi-homemade bundt cake that starts with a cake mix and it’s totally foolproof.

sliced bundt cake on a grey plate covered in powdered sugar.


Why This Recipe Works

Foolproof using cake mix: We start this recipe with lemon cake mix, but no one will know because we’re going to doctor it and add a delicious lemon butter soak.

Tested: I’ve tested this recipe several times and it’s been made by loads of readers who love it too! It has moist crumbs and the best burst of lemon flavor – you’re going to love it. My secret ingredient is the lemon butter sauce that soaks into the cake!

If you want a from scratch cake, try my lemon pound cake with lemon glaze!

ingredients in lemon bundt cake laid out on a white marble counter.

Ingredients Needed

  • Lemon cake mix: makes this recipe so easy, but don’t worry, it’ll still taste 100% homemade. I’m using duncan hines cake mix for this recipe.
  • Butter: We’ll use unsalted butter to make the cake and in the butter sauce.
  • Milk: any kind you like – I love using whole milk in cakes.
  • Extracts: I love adding butter extract to the cake because it pumps up the butter flavor. You can swap vanilla extract if you prefer.
  • Instant vanilla pudding mix: or use lemon pudding mix to triple the lemony flavor. Pudding mix in cake mix recipes keeps the cake extra moist.
  • Lemon juice: fresh lemon juice from about 1-2 lemons – always use fresh juice!
  • Lemon Zest: Lemon zest holds all the lemon flavor, so don’t skip it.
process shot of lemon bundt cake being made.
process shot of lemon bundt cake being made.
process shot of lemon bundt cake being made.

How to make Lemon Bundt Cake

  1. Use a electric mixer or bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat the cake mix, butter, room temperature eggs, milk, extract, and pudding mix until a thick batter forms. Pour into the prepared pan.
  2. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Remove the bundt cake from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes but keep it in the pan.
  3. While the cake is baking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt and cook until it just simmers (bubbles around the edges). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  4. Poke several holes in the cake using a long skewer and pour the butter sauce over the cake. Cool in pan completely, then remove to serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
sliced bundt cake on a grey plate covered in powdered sugar.

Expert Tips

  • Be sure to grease and flour the bundt cake pan really well. That’s the secret to easy release and a pretty cake.
  • If you can’t find lemon pudding mix, you can use vanilla or even cheesecake flavor.
  • Be sure to let it cool completely before removing from the pan so the flavor soaks into every single bite.
  • The cake is sweet enough because of the sauce so it doesn’t need frosting; just a dusting of powdered sugar will do! 

Storage & Making Ahead

  • Make ahead: This cake is very forgiving and can be made up to 24 hours ahead.
  • Store cake loosely covered on the counter.
  • Wrap cooled cake well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
sliced bundt cake on a grey plate covered in powdered sugar.

Easy Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe

3.74 from 196 votes
Easy Lemon Pound Cake starts with a cake mix and has the perfect lemon flavor. The warm cake is soaked with a lemon butter sauce!!

Recipe Video

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield 10 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
 

Cake:

  • 1 (approx 15 ounce) box lemon cake mix
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter , melted
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract optional; it pumps up the butter flavor of the cake
  • 1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (or lemon)

Sauce:

  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray (the kind with flour) or butter and flour it.
  • Use a hand or a stand mixer to beat the cake mix, butter, eggs, milk, extract, and pudding mix until a thick batter forms. Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes but keep it in the pan.
  • While the cake is baking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, zest and salt and cook until it just simmers (bubbles around the edges). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
  • Poke several holes in the cake using a long skewer and pour the butter sauce over the cake. Cool in pan completely, then remove to serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe Notes

  • Be sure to grease and flour a bundt pan really well. That’s the secret to easy release and a pretty cake.
  • If you can’t find lemon pudding mix, you can use vanilla or even cheesecake flavor.
  • Be sure to let it cool completely before removing from the pan so the flavor soaks into every single bite.
  • The cake is sweet enough because of the sauce so it doesn’t need frosting; just a dusting of powdered sugar will do! 
  • To achieve a thicker textured cake, replace the milk with a cup sour cream.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 0.02g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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3.74 from 196 votes (172 ratings without comment)

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85 Comments

  1. Awesome cake! Every time I make it I have to give the recipe to whoever tastes it because it is that good.

    Reply

  2. I have a box of lemon pudding but the kind you cook, not instant. Can that be used like the instant?
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

  3. Yummy cake. I used vanilla pudding as I didn’t have lemon on hand. It was so flavorful and moist and reminded me somewhat of the caramelized cake in my Mom’s pineapple upsidedown cake. It’s a keeper!

    Reply

    1. I have not tried that. If you try it will you let me know how it works? (I don’t see why it can’t be made in the rectangular pan, should work just fine.)

      Reply